An air disc brake assembly includes a first brake pad positioned on one side of a rotating brake disc and a second brake pad positioned on an opposite side of the rotating brake disc. The first and second brake pads are supported by a brake caliper that is mounted to a non-rotating vehicle structure. The brake caliper includes a brake housing having a main section and a bridge section. The main section defines a cavity that receives an actuating mechanism and the bridge section extends over the rotating brake disc. The actuating mechanism includes tappets that move the first brake pad into engagement with the rotating brake disc. Input from a brake operating shaft moves the tappets in response to a braking demand.
The brake housing straddles the rotating brake disc and is slidably mounted on a torque taking member with guide pins. Movement of the brake operating shaft causes the first brake pad to move into engagement with the rotating brake disc, and continued pressure causes the brake housing to slide on the guide pins relative to the torque taking member and rotating brake disc. This causes the bridge section of the housing to press on the second brake pad to move the second brake pad into engagement with the rotating brake disc.
One disadvantage with this traditional air brake configuration is that it cannot be used with some vehicle suspensions. For example, certain independent front suspensions do not have packaging space available to permit the use of a conventional sliding caliper. As the first and second brake pads wear, the brake caliper moves in an inboard direction. These types of suspensions are not capable of providing a sufficient area into which the brake caliper can move as the first and second brake pads wear.
Thus, there is a need for a disc brake assembly that actuates opposing brake pads and adjusts for brake pad wear without requiring a conventional sliding brake caliper.